In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, we, the inventors, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. We also grow a lesser number of open pollinated seeds of each of these fruits, usually to capture recessive traits. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of nectarine tree, which has been denominated varietally as ‘Kay Diamond VIII’.
The present variety was hybridized by us in 2007 as a first generation cross using ‘Grand Bright’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,494) nectarine as the selected seed parent and ‘Kay Diamond VII’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,715) nectarine as the selected pollen parent. The fruit of this cross was gathered in the summer of 2007, and the seeds were removed from the fruit, cracked, stratified, germinated, and grown as seedlings on their own root in our greenhouse. Upon reaching dormancy the seedlings were transplanted as a group to a cultivated area of our experimental orchard located near Le Grand, Calif., in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). During the fruit evaluation season of 2011 we selected the present variety as a single tree from the group of seedlings described above. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of nectarine tree, we asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproductions were true to the original tree in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of ‘Nemaguard’ (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is similar to its seed parent, ‘Grand Bright’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,494) nectarine by having showy blossoms, by being self-fertile, and by producing nectarines that are nearly full red in skin color, yellow in flesh color, firm in texture, globose in shape, clingstone in type, and very good in flavor, but is distinguished therefrom by having globose instead of reniform leaf glands and by producing fruit that is somewhat smaller in size, that has a bitter kernel instead of sweet, and that matures about thirty days earlier.
The present variety is most similar to its pollen parent, ‘Kay Diamond VII’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,715) nectarine by being self-fertile, by having showy blossoms, by requiring about 500 chilling hours, and by producing nectarines that are nearly full red in skin color, yellow in flesh color, firm in texture, globose in shape, clingstone in type, very good in flavor, and medium to large in size for the early season, but is distinguished therefrom by having globose leaf glands instead of being eglandular, by blooming about 6 days later, and by producing fruit that matures about ten days later.